1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to storage devices for recording media and, more specifically, to portable storage devices for storing and transporting compact discs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Storage devices for recording media are generally known. Disc-shaped recording media, such as compact discs (CD's), encounter special problems of handling and storage due to their delicate, flat recorded surfaces. It is preferable to handle disc-shaped recording media by their circumferential edges, which are thin, non-recorded surfaces, to avoid damaging the recorded surfaces.
Compact discs have optically readable data encoded on their flat, recorded surfaces. They are often sold in plastic CD boxes, which are sometimes referred to as "jewel" boxes. CD boxes are substantially standardized in size and shape. Most are rectangular in shape and have a mounting hub for holding the CD by its center hole. CD boxes are usually kept after purchase as storage devices for a single CD. Other types of storage devices are needed to organize and store multiple CD boxes.
While CD boxes have proven adequate for storage purposes, there is room for improvement. For example, it is sometimes difficult to remove the CD from its mounting hub, thus requiring the use of force which might damage the recorded surface. Also, CD boxes have interior surfaces which sometimes come into contact with, and thus degrade, the recorded surface of the CD.
Presently, there are no storage devices for boxes which offer a satisfactory portability feature. Due to the thickness of a CD box, it is somewhat cumbersome to carry multiple CD boxes from one location to another. Existing CD box holders are intended for stationary use, and thus, not easily converted to portable use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,533 describes a device for storing flat recording media in which CD's are vertically stacked in outwardly sliding, open-topped trays. Each tray is composed of a lower portion of the original CD box, which is slidable along parallel, lateral guide rails. A locking mechanism is provided to prevent the trays from inadvertently sliding out. However, the device described in the aforesaid patent is not practical as a portable carrier since space for each CD box is required. Also, sliding tray mechanisms tend to be mechanically complex and costly to produce.
Generally, CD boxes tend to be difficult to stack and difficult to store or carry without an additional storage device or holder. Moreover, existing storage devices for storing CD boxes tend to be either bulky or impractical, or both.